


All I Want Is You

by tablelamp



Category: Falsettos - Lapine/Finn
Genre: Caretaking, Ghosts, HIV/AIDS, Hospitals, Implied/Referenced Character Death, M/M, Terminal Illnesses
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-08
Updated: 2018-11-08
Packaged: 2019-08-20 09:08:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,035
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16552946
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tablelamp/pseuds/tablelamp
Summary: Whizzer is gone, and Marvin is the one in the hospital bed.  But Whizzer has one more surprise in store...





	All I Want Is You

**Author's Note:**

  * For [kissoffools](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kissoffools/gifts).



"Marvin?"

He knows that voice. If he could think clearly, he'd know who was talking to him. But he's so tired, and his eyelids are so heavy. He wants to rest.

"Marvin, I didn't come all this way just to have you fall asleep. You can't even see my outfit, and it's your favorite one."

Whizzer. It's _Whizzer._ Marvin gathers all the energy he can find and forces his eyes open.

It _is_ Whizzer. Whizzer's standing there, racquetball outfit and all, and he doesn't look sick. Or dead. He looks...fine. Healthy.

"There you are," Whizzer says, voice playful and gentle.

"It's you," Marvin whispers, his breathing soft and wheezy. At least he can still talk. "How?"

"No idea. But I'm pretty sure I know why." Whizzer sits on the edge of the bed, and Marvin has a strange, dizzying sensation of deja vu. They've done this before, but with the roles reversed. 

"It's good to see you," Marvin says. He's been thinking about Whizzer a lot these past few weeks...wondering if what he'd gone through is anything like what Marvin is going through. He didn't think he'd ever get the chance to ask.

Whizzer smiles again. "Same here." He reaches out to touch Marvin's face, but the touch is gentle enough that, even though every part of Marvin's body feels like it's forgotten how to function, Whizzer's touch doesn't hurt him. "How are you?"

"Awful," Marvin says, discovering in the moment that he still has a sense of humor. "But better now." He turns his head so he can really see Whizzer, all the details of him. He's _so_ good-looking. Marvin had forgotten what it was like to just...look at Whizzer. That happened after they broke up too. Two years of absence and Marvin could barely contain himself at the baseball game. He'd kept trying to get Whizzer closer so he could look at him, see him. Marvin has always loved to look at Whizzer. Right now, Whizzer isn't glowing or see-through or anything weird or ghostly. He looks like he always did, and those racquetball shorts are Marvin's absolute favorite. He's glad Whizzer knew that, or remembered that--however this is happening. "You are dead, right?"

"Oh, yeah, I'm definitely dead," Whizzer agrees nonchalantly.

"But you're here." Marvin's voice cracks. Whatever control he used to have over his emotions is pretty much nonexistent now. Everything he feels shows. The old version of him wouldn't have liked that, but disliking it takes energy he can't afford to waste.

Whizzer's expression softens. "You were here for me."

Marvin wishes he were stronger. If he were well, he'd sweep Whizzer into his arms and make out with him. It's a mark of how surprised he is to see Whizzer that he considered doing it anyway for a couple seconds before he remembered it probably wouldn't work. He tries to shift his weight, to make space so Whizzer can lie down next to him. He wants to be close to him for whatever amount of time they have together, and he can't do much, but he thinks he can do this. Of course, it could just be the adrenaline rush from seeing Whizzer again that's giving him what feels like extra energy.

Whizzer looks slightly alarmed once he realizes what Marvin is doing. "No, don't! Stay where you are. I can fit." And he lies down next to Marvin on the hospital bed.

"I'm scared," Marvin says, meeting Whizzer's eyes.

Whizzer nods. "I know."

Of course. "You remember?"

"Everything," Whizzer says. He hesitates. "I want to hold you but I'm afraid of hurting you."

Marvin almost laughs. "Everything hurts anyway. Go ahead."

Whizzer's expression softens again. "Okay." He scoots forward, wrapping his arms around Marvin. It's a strange sensation--there's no heat to it and not much pressure, but Marvin can feel where Whizzer's arms are.

"I'm glad you're not like ghosts in the movies," Marvin says. He can't really imagine Whizzer transparent or walking through walls.

"Me too," Whizzer agrees. "Not like I'd remember. I'd probably keep trying to touch things anyway."

Marvin laughs. "Yeah, and I know what you like to touch."

Whizzer snorts with laughter. "Lucky for you."

Marvin laughs, but the laugh turns into a cough. Damn pneumonia. It takes a few moments for the coughing to die down, and when Marvin catches his breath and looks at Whizzer, Whizzer looks worried.

"Should I stop making jokes?" Whizzer says.

"No," Marvin says. He doesn't want Whizzer to have to tiptoe around him. 

Whizzer nods. "Can I get you something? Water?"

"Please," Marvin says. Very carefully, Whizzer helps Marvin sit up a little, enough to drink from the glass of water on the table near his bed. Marvin tries not to let the activity exhaust him, because he wants to spend more time with Whizzer. "I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"This."

Whizzer shakes his head. "Don't be. I can take it."

"I can't." Marvin means it as a joke, but it's only half of one.

"Lean on me as much as you need to," Whizzer says quietly. "I want to help."

Marvin nods gratefully. Not that he's been alone--Trina and Jason visit often, and he's glad to see them, but Trina always tells Marvin the same things he used to tell Whizzer--how well he looks, how much better he seems. Marvin knows it's a lie but he also knows Trina needs to believe it. Just like he needed to. Jason never lies, but he's scared. Marvin understands that too.

"Will you be okay?" Marvin asks.

It must be a trick of the light or Marvin's bad eyesight, but Whizzer looks like he might be about to cry. "You're worried about me?"

Whizzer always worried about how Marvin was doing, even when Whizzer was at his sickest. "Old habits."

Whizzer tousles Marvin's hair. "I'll be okay. I promise."

"Will you stay?" Marvin dreads the answer, because he's not sure what it will be.

Whizzer smiles. "Of course."

Marvin relaxes a little. As long as Whizzer doesn't disappear, everything will be all right. "I love you."

"I love you too," Whizzer says.

Marvin closes his eyes and lets Whizzer take care of him.


End file.
